delete the run time test which dies on cross-compiles.
we know the answer already, so hardcode it to true.

--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -30745,25 +30745,8 @@
   CATALOGS="$new_CATALOGS"
 fi
 
-if test "$cross_compiling" = yes; then :
-  { { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: error: in \`$ac_pwd':" >&5
-$as_echo "$as_me: error: in \`$ac_pwd':" >&2;}
-as_fn_error $? "cannot run test program while cross compiling
-See \`config.log' for more details" "$LINENO" 5; }
-else
-  cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
-/* end confdefs.h.  */
-
-int
-main ()
-{
-    FILE * fp = popen ("date", "rb");
-    exit (fp == NULL);
-  ;
-  return 0;
-}
-_ACEOF
-if ac_fn_c_try_run "$LINENO"; then :
+if false; then
+if true; then
 
 $as_echo "#define BINARY_MODE_POPEN 1" >>confdefs.h